Figure 8 (Retraced - Anchor Point)
-Grab the end of the rope in one hand; extend your arm and measure out a length from your fist to your opposite shoulder.
-Pinch a bight from where you’ve measured at your shoulder and twist it one full rotation so that the standing part of the rope crosses over the working side, then twist it again so that it comes around to its original position.
-Then pass the working end of the rope through the loop from front to back. The result should look like a figure 8.
-To form the follow through, pass the end of the rope around the anchor point, and pull the knot in close.
-Now feed the rope back through the knot, tracing the original knot as you go. You want the working end to run completely parallel to the standing part of the original knot.
-Once you’ve worked the end all the way through, dress the knot by making sure the strands are neat and run parallel.
Tighten the knot by pulling each strand tight individually. Make sure you have at least six inches of tail. You can check the knot by counting five sets of parallel lines.
Figure 8 (Bight)
- Find a bight in the rope, pinch it into a loop and hold it in one hand.
- With your other hand, pinch the two strands about a foot from the bight.
- Cross the bight over the standing strands to form a loop.
- Then bring the bight under the rope, back over and through the loop.
- Dress the knot by making sure the strands run parallel, and pull each strand tight individually.
Figure 8 (Retraced - Harness)
- Grab the end of the rope in one hand; extend your arm and measure out a length from your fist to your opposite shoulder.
- Pinch a bight from where you’ve measured at your shoulder and twist it one full rotation so that the standing part of the rope crosses over the working side, then twist it again so that it comes around to its original position.
- Then pass the working end of the rope through the loop from front to back. The result should look like a figure 8.
- To form the follow through, pass the end of the rope through both tie-in points on your harness, and pull the knot in close to you.
- Now feed the rope back through the knot, tracing the original knot as you go. You want the working end to run completely parallel to the standing part of the original knot.
- Once you’ve worked the end all the way through, dress the knot by making sure the strands are neat and run parallel.
- Tighten the knot by pulling each strand tight individually. Make sure you have at least six inches of tail. You can check the knot by counting five sets of parallel lines.
Bowline (single- on an anchor point)
- Start by wrapping the rope around the object you’re connecting to the rope.
- Form a small loop in the standing side of the rope by crossing the rope over itself. The side leading to the working end of the rope needs to be on the top of the loop.
- Now feed the working end up through the loop so that it runs parallel to the standing side.
- Then bring the working end behind the standing side, around it, and back down through the loop.
- Dress the knot by pulling on the two strands that come through the loop and the standing side at the same time.
- Pull all strands tight individually.
Bowline (single - to harness)
- Start by wrapping the rope around your harness.
- Form a small loop in the standing side of the rope by crossing the rope over itself. The side leading to the working end of the rope needs to be on the top of the loop.
- Now feed the working end up through the loop so that it runs parallel to the standing side.
- Then bring the working end behind the standing side, around it, and back down through the loop.
- Dress the knot by pulling on the two strands that come through the loop and the standing side at the same time.
- Pull all strands tight individually.
Bowline (Single - attached to nothing)
- Start by wrapping the rope around NOTHING.
- Form a small loop in the standing side of the rope by crossing the rope over itself. The side leading to the working end of the rope needs to be on the top of the loop.
- Now feed the working end up through the loop so that it runs parallel to the standing side.
- Then bring the working end behind the standing side, around it, and back down through the loop.
- Dress the knot by pulling on the two strands that come through the loop and the standing side at the same time.
- Pull all strands tight individually.
Double Bowline (To anchor point)
- Feed the rope around your anchor point.
- Grab the standing end and drape it over your palm between your thumb and forefinger.
- Now grab the rope between your hand and your harness and wrap it twice around your thumb.
- Slide the loops from your thumb, and rotate them so that the rope leading to the working end is on top.
- Feed the working end up through the loops so that it runs parallel to the standing side.
- Then, bring the working end behind the standing side, around it, and back down through the loops.
- Dress the knot by pulling on the two strands that come through the loops and the standing side at the same time.
- Pull all four strands tight individually.
- Finish by tying a double overhand knot against the double bowline.
Double Bowline (To harness)
- Feed the rope through the tie-in points on your harness.
- Grab the standing end and drape it over your palm between your thumb and forefinger.
- Now grab the rope between your hand and your harness and wrap it twice around your thumb.
- Slide the loops from your thumb, and rotate them so that the rope leading to the working end is on top.
- Feed the working end up through the loops so that it runs parallel to the standing side.
- Then, bring the working end behind the standing side, around it, and back down through the loops.
- Dress the knot by pulling on the two strands that come through the loops and the standing side at the same time.
- Pull all four strands tight individually.
- Finish by tying a double overhand knot against the double bowline.
Double Bowline (attached to nothing)
- Feed the rope around NOTHING.
- Grab the standing end and drape it over your palm between your thumb and forefinger.
- Now grab the rope between your hand and your harness and wrap it twice around your thumb.
- Slide the loops from your thumb, and rotate them so that the rope leading to the working end is on top.
- Feed the working end up through the loops so that it runs parallel to the standing side.
- Then, bring the working end behind the standing side, around it, and back down through the loops.
- Dress the knot by pulling on the two strands that come through the loops and the standing side at the same time.
- Pull all four strands tight individually.
- Finish by tying a double overhand knot against the double bowline.
Overhand on a bight
- Grab the section of rope where you want to tie the knot and loop it over your open palm three times, starting close to your thumb.
- Move the strand closest to your thumb over the other two loops.
- Grab the loop that’s now closest to your thumb and pull out a little extra slack.
- Then, move it over the other two loops, and then pass it under.
- Take the rope off your hand, and pull it tight.
- Dress the knot by pulling the two standing strands to the side
Butterfly
- Grab the section of rope where you want to tie the knot and loop it over your open palm three times, starting close to your thumb.
- Move the strand closest to your thumb over the other two loops.
- Grab the loop that’s now closest to your thumb and pull out a little extra slack.
- Then, move it over the other two loops, and then pass it under.
- Take the rope off your hand, and pull it tight.
- Dress the knot by pulling the two standing strands to the side.
In-Line Figure 8 (both directions)
- Grab a bight of the rope, and pass it behind the side of the rope from which the load will originate.
- Pass it across the front, and through the loop created by the bight and twist.
- Pull tight.
- The loop should lie against a strand of the rope, aimed down that strand.
Double Fisherman
- Bring the two ends of the rope together so that they overlap.
- Hold the end of one rope in your fist with your thumb over the rope.
- Then, wrap the working end of the other rope over your thumb and the first rope, bring it under, and fully wrap it over again to form an X.
- Carefully slide your thumb out and feed the rope through the X you just formed.
- Pull the knot tight. You should see an X on one side and two parallel strands on the other side with the other rope inside the knot.
- Now pull the other rope through so you have enough slack to work with, and repeat the process. The rope that you pull through will be your new working end.
- Form an X over your thumb, and push the end of the rope through the X. You’ll end up with two knots with two strands of rope between them.
- Dress the knots by pulling them tight. Then pull the outer ropes to bring the knots together.
- The finished Double Fisherman’s should have two Xs on one side and four parallel strands on the other. —–
- Make sure that both ropes have plenty of tail (About 18 inches of tail is appropriate when tying two ropes together for rappelling. At least three inches of tail is required when making loops with accessory cord).
Clove Hitch
- Hold the rope in both hands, and form a loop by crossing the rope over itself.
- Then form a second loop in the same way.
- Now move the second loop behind the first, and clip both loops with a carabiner. Dress the hitch by pulling both strands tight.
If you’re at the anchor, you can also tie the clove while you hold onto the anchor carabiner with one hand.
- Grab the rope in your fist with your finger pointing down the rope.
- Bring your hand up so that your finger points up and toward you.
- Then clip the rope into the carabiner.
- Now grab the rope below the carabiner and do the same thing again. Grab it with your finger pointing down, bring it up so that your finger points up and toward you, and clip it into the carabiner.
- Dress the hitch by pulling both strands tight.
Munter Hitch
The Munter Hitch can be used to belay or rappel if you lose your belay device. Seek out instruction on belaying and rappelling with the Munter hitch before attempting it by yourself.
H-old the rope in both hands, and form a loop by crossing the rope over itself.
- Then form a second loop in the same way.
- Now fold the two loops toward each other like you’re closing a book and clip a locking carabiner through both loops.
Prusik
- Place your loop behind the rope.
- Now feed the side with the connecting knot through the other side.
- Then wrap it around the rope loosely, and feed it through again. Do this at least three times. Make sure that the knot is slightly to the side, out of the way.
- Pull the hitch tight, and make sure it grips the rope.
- Dress it by making sure all the loops are parallel and the joining knot is offset so it’s not in the bend of the loop.
Overhand around a fixed object
Create an overhand knot on the line.
Feed the rope around the fixed object
Retrace the overhand knot.
Fisherman Knot
Bring 2 ends of rope together
Tie a half hitch overhand knot around one rope.
Use the opposite end to tie a half hitch overhand on the other rope.
Pull tight.
Water knot
Create an overhand knot on one rope.
Use another rope to retrace the overhand knot in the opposite direction connecting the ropes together.
Square knot
Left over right and under
Right over left and under
Pull tight
Double Figure 8
Grab a large bight on the rope
Begin to creat a figure 8 on a bight.
Rather than feeding the loop back through the hole you’ve created, bend in and feed the bent half through the hole.
Take the loop that is sticking out and pull it up and over the knot to the bottom of the knot.
Pull the bent half tight creating 2 separate loops through the figure 8.
Round Turn with 2 half hitches
Create round turn around a fixed object.
Take end of the rope and create a half hitch by going up, over and back through.
Then do another half hitch the exact same way by going up, over and back through.
Pull tight
